Advertising device



Sept. 7, 1937. P. F. GODFREY ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Sept. 9, 1936 2Sheets-Sheet 1 0 2 2 flm/ n I 6 5 2 32 2. I 4

X 8 4 Mg 1 HF 4 9 2 92 1" T\ /L 7. 3 U I H i? 5 .w V/W 7 M2 M x F M 7/ Ww 3 Q Q 2 Sept. 7, 1937. P. F. GODFREY ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Sept. 9,1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 7, 1937 UNITED ST'EES PATENT OFFICEADVERTISING DEVICE Applicationseptember 9, 1936, Serial No. 99,917 InGreat Britain September 18, 1935 23 Claims.

This invention relates to an'advertising device of the kind in which aseries of separate plates, frames or the like bearing information orrepresentations is employed, the plates or the like heing automaticallypresented .in succession to a window in the housing of the device.

The objects of the invention is to provide a device of the kindaforesaid which is more simple I I in construction and more certain andefiicient in 1 operation than devices of this kind hitherto proposed.

The invention comprises the combination of means for displacing an endplate of a series of plates bearing advertising matter to the other endof the series, an endless guide track for guiding one end of the platethroughout the said displacement, and means for enabling the other endof the plate to move, during or immediately after the said displacement,in a path extending transversely across the endless guide track.

The invention will be more particularly described with reference to theaccompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a front view of the housing of an advertising deviceconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking in the direction of the arrow A onthe line 2-2 of the device illustrated in Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a cross section, looking in the direction of the arrow B, onthe line 3--3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a rear view of an advertising device constructed in accordancewith the present invention but with the housing of the device removed.

Figs. 5, 6, '7, 8 and 9 are views illustrating the various positions ofthe mechanism as a plate is moved from one end position of the series tothe other end position thereof.

- Referring to the drawings, a hollow rectangular housing I is providedat one side with a window 2 through which the plates, frames or the likebearing advertising or indicating matter y preferably on each sidethereof, and which are automatically moved opposite the window, can beobserved. Mounted upon the top of the housing I is a turret 3 in whichan electric motor is housed, the motor being operatively connected r tothe mechanism disposed within the housing I in such a manner as toconstitute the drive for the said mechanism. This motor is driven by anysuitable source of electrical energy.

Referring to Fig. 4 of the drawings, a spindle 5 connected to theelectric motor disposed in the turret 3 is arranged to drive a pinionwheel 6 through the medium of a worm wheel I. The pinion wheel 6 isconnected to a shaft 8 carried in bearings, one formed in a bracket 9and the other in one of a pair of side members I0 and II. The shaft 8 isprovide-d at the end mounted in the side member IE! with a pinion wheelI2 arranged in mesh with a pinion wheel I3 which is secured to a shaftI4 also carried in bearings formed in the side members I0 and II. Theshaft I l carries at both ends thereof pinion wheels I5 and it which arearranged in mesh with gear wheels I? and I8. The gear wheels I! and I8are carried upon stub axles secured in bosses I9 and 20 formed in theside members I0 and II and the said stub axles are arranged to supportat their free ends guide members 2I and 22 hereinafter more particularlydescribed. The guide members 2| and 22 are provided with circumferentialtracks 23 (Fig. 3) arranged to receive laterally extending pins 24, 25,26 and 21 disposed upon each display plate X of a series of plates uponwhich information may be arranged.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawings in which themechanism disposed upon one side of the device and duplicated upon theother is illustrated in connection with a device operating with tenplates, it will be observed that the circumferentially arranged tracks23 in the guide members 2I and 22 follow a circular path for the majorportion of their extent but near the position in which the individualplates are disposed adjacent to the window 2 of the housing I the pathis distorted towards the centre of the guide members 2| and 22 for thepurpose hereinafter more specifically defined. Further each of the guidemembers 2! and 22 is provided with a slot 28 in the form of a chord tothe circumferentially arranged track 23, this slot being arranged toform a path across the width of the guide member for a purpose also moreparticularly referred to hereinafter. Mounted upon each of the guidemembers 2I and 22 is an arm 29 secured at one end to a pin 30 whichextends through a bearing in the guide member and carries at the otherend thereof a lever 3! which is arranged to engage with a cam 32 thedesign and purpose of which will also be hereinafter more particularlydescribed.

Connected to the lever 3| is a tension spring 33 which normally tends todraw the lever 3I and the arm 29 in a direction away from the window 2of the housing I. Mounted at the beginning of the path where the trackin the guide member departs from its circular shape there is provided aleaf spring 34 and mounted near that end of to move under the trackwhere it again resumes its circular configuration is a spring 35.

Carried upon the peripheral inner sides of the gear wheels I7 and 53 areconveyors 36 which are arranged and shaped so as to move in the circularpath of the tracks formed in the guide members 28 and 22 and carry withthem the pins of that plate which is so disposed that the lowermost pinsthereof are located in the said track.

A slot or opening 37 is formed in the outer wall of the track of each ofthe guide members so as to permit the laterally extending pins of theplates hereinbefore referred to, to be placed into and removed from thesaid tracks.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the motor in the turret 3 is set in motion it will be observed thatthe gear wheels H and i8 will be rotated and will carry with them theconveyors 35 which, as they pass the end 39 of the transverse slot 28 inthe guide members 2| and 22, will engage with the pins 26 and 21 of theplate X and carry the plate downwardly in a circular path. The conveyors35 in moving forward the plate X displace the pins 24 and fromengagement with the springs 35 which normally hold the plate X in anupright position in front of the window 2 of the housing l.

Further movement of the plate X will be best understood by reference toFigs. 5, 6, '7, 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 5shows the plate X just as it has been moved out of the vertical positionin front of the window 2 in the housing I. As the conveyors 36 move theplate X in a circular path, so the cams 32 fixed concentrically to gearwheels ii and i8 hold the arms 29 adjacent to the tenth plate of theseries but as the conveyors 36 continue their movement it will beobserved that the arms 29 move away from the tenth plate of the seriesso as to permit the plate which is being moved by the conveyors 36 andraise the remainder of the series of plates which are still disposed ina substantially vertical position and pivot them about their uppermostpins 24 and 25 and so permit the displaced plate to continue in itscircular path as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6. After the displacedplate has been moved a predetermined distance the nine remaining platestend to move back into their upright positions and are assisted in thismovement by the arms 29 which due to the shape of the earns 32 movetowards the window 2 of the housing I a greater distance than that whichthey have been displaced in the reverse direction because they have nowto move nine plates into their correct positions whereas previously theyhad to hold ten plates in their correct position.

After the displaced plate X has become disengaged from the lower end ofthe leading plate of the remainder of the series, it is maintained inits circular path by guide springs M? which restrain any tendency of theplate to leave the circular path through which it is being moved. Theconveyors 35 continue to move the pins 26 and 27 along the circulartracks for a predetermined distance, that is, into the positionillustrated in Fig. 8 of the accompanying drawings whereupon the cams 32release the levers 3| and permit the arms 29 to swing, under theinfluence of the springs 33 into the circular tracks 23. It will beobserved however that the arms 29 do not move across the tracks 23 untilthe conveyor 36 has moved the pins 26 and 2? beyond the points at whichthe arms 29 move across the tracks. The conveyors 36 continue to movethe pins 26 and 21 in a circular path until the pins 24 and 25 arebrought adjacent to the slots 28 whereupon the pins 24 and 25 move undergravity down the transverse slots 28 formed in the guide members 2! and22, after which the cams 32 again engage With the levers 3i and move thearms 29 across the guide members 2! and 22 and bring the displaced plateX against the end plate of the series and at the same time ensures thatthe leading plate of the series is properly located in the tracks 23 toensure that when the conveyors 36 come to the position shown in Fig. 3they will engage with the pins 26 and 21 of the next plate of theseries.

By shaping the arms 29 at their free ends so as to conform to thecurvature of the tracks 23 the said arms ensure that each plate when itreaches the position shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings will move acrossthe transverse slots 28 formed in the guide members 28 and 22 althoughin actual practice it is found that normally the plate moves undergravity and without the assistance of the arms 29.

The springs 34 with which the pins 26 and 2'! engage when they reach theposition shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings ensure that the plate willpivot at this position to enable the pins 25 and 26 to move transverselyacross the guide members 2| and 22. After the pins 26 and 21 have beenmoved beyond the springs 34 they become disengaged from the conveyorsdue to the formation of the track at this point and automatically falldown the distorted path of the track and so the plate takes up itsposition at the back of the series. The distorted path of the track isarranged to merge into the circular path hereinbefore referred to justprior to the point Where the conveyor engages with the lowermost pins ofthe next succeeding plate. The springs 35 are arranged to ensure thatthe leading plate of the series is held in the distorted path of thetracks 23 in a substantially vertical direction in front of the window 2in the housing I and in a yielding manner so that when the conveyors 36engage with the pins 26 and 21 of the leading plate, the upper pins 22and 25 will disengage with the springs 35 and permit the plate to bemoved to the rear of the series.

Mounted at the front of the housing I, for example at the face thereofis a lamp 4| which is arranged to illuminate the plates X as they arepresented to the window 2 of the said housing.

that with a device conwith the mechanism hereinbefore described, a plateduring its movement from one end of the series of plates to the otherend thereof is reversed so that when it is progressively moved throughthe series to the position where it is disposed in front of the window 2of the housing I, it presents the opposite face to that which waspresented in the corresponding preceding position of the said plate.

Each plate can thus carry two distinct forms of information orrepresentation one upon each side thereof. and by arranging the platesto be shown in the manner hereinbefore described, it will be apparentthat ten plates can serve for the exhibition of twenty differentadvertisements.

It will be appreciated that with the mechanism hereinbefore describedthe conveyors 36 could be arranged to engage with one of the sets ofpins 24, 25 or 26, 27 and move the plate in a circular path so that theother set of pins moves into the transverse slots 28 extending acrossguide members 2! and 22 and thereafter the first-mentioned set of pinswould be moved almost through a complete circle so that upon the nextdisplay of the plate the same face will be directed towards the window 2of the housing I as was displayed at the previous presentation. Such anarrangement could be provided in such cases where it was foundadvantageous that only one side of a. plate should be presented to thewindow 2.

It will be appreciated that with such an arrangement the transverseslots 28 extending across the guide members 2! and 22 would be ofdifferent configuration to the transverse slots 28 illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. Further the cams 32 would be of. differentdesigns to the cam illustrated, in view of the fact that the arms 29would have to be moved into the position shown in Fig. 8 of theaccompanying drawings prior to the pins 26 and 21 reaching thetransverse slots 28 and would have to be moved away from the tracks 23in the guide members 2! and 22 to permit the pins 24 and 25 to continuetheir circular path after the pins 26 and 21 had moved into thetransverse slots 28 extending across the guide members 2! and 22 but theshape of the slots and the cams hereinbefore referred to are merely aquestion of design and would present no difficulty to anyone skilled inthe art.

The present invention thus provides an advertising device which issimple in construction and eflicient in operation. Moreover it enables ahighly efficient display or indicating apparatus to be confined within acomparatively small space thus permitting the device to be constructedof such a size that it can be mounted with ease within a taxicab orother vehicle so as to advise the occupants of various information, forexample announcements indicating different theatres, the performanceswhich are being conducted there and the time at which the performancescommence. Alternatively the apparatus may be so mounted on the vehiclethat it can be observed by pedestrians or the occupants of. othervehicles.

It will be further appreciated that the above invention is applicable toautomatic coin machines in which a series of photographs are presentedin succession to a window upon the insertion of a coin. It will beapparent that one modification of the present invention is particularlysuitable to such a machine where compactness together with thepossibility of presenting as many pictures as possible constitutes anessential feature. It will be observed that according to the presentinvention, where previously only ten photographs could be presented byten plates now by the aid of the present invention twenty photographscan be presented by this number of plates. However the invention is notlimited to the above described applications as it may be put to avariety of other uses.

While the description and drawings illustrate a device having ten platesit will be appreciated that a lesser or greater number of plates may beused with but a slight modification in the shape of cam piece 32. Theinvention is not limited to the example described as subordinate detailsof construction may be varied to suit difierent requirements.

I claim:-

1. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination ofmeans for displacing an end plate of a seriesof plates each bearingadvertising matter on both sides to the other end of. the series, anendless guide track for guiding one end of the plate relatively to theother end thereof throughout the said displacement to invert said plate,and means for enabling the other end of the plate to move, during thesaid displacement, in a path extending transversely across the endlessguide track.

2. In an advertising device of the kind specified the combination of aconveyor for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearingadvertising matter on both sides to the other end of the series, asubstantially circular guide track for guiding one end of the platerelatively to the other end thereof throughout the said displacement toinvert said plate, and means for enabling theother end of the plate tomove, during the said displacement, in a path extending transverselyacross the endless guide track.

3. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination ofmeans for displacing an end plate of a series of. plates bearingadvertising matter to the other end of the series, an endless guidetrack for guiding one end of the plate throughout the said displacementand for guiding the other end of the plate during part of the saiddisplacement and means for enabling the said other end to move, during adifferent part of the said displacement, in a path extendingtransversely across the guide track.

4. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination ofmeans for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearingadvertising matter on both sides to the other end of the series, anendless guide track for guiding one end of the plate throughout the saiddisplacement and for guiding the other end of the plate during part ofthe said displacement, and means for enabling the said other end tomove, during a different part of the said displacement in a pathextending transversely across the guide track, whereby the plate isreversed during its displacement from one end of the series to theother.

5. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination of anendless guide track, a conveyor for displacing an end plate of a seriesof plates bearing advertising matter to the other end of the series,means associated with one end of the plate for enabling the said end tobe guided in the guide track throughout the said displacement, meansassociated with the other end of the plate for enabling the said otherend to be guided in the track during part at least of the saiddisplacement, and means for enabling the said other end to move in apath extending transversely across the track during a difierent part ofthe said displacement.

6. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination of anendless guide track, a conveyor for displacing an end plate of a seriesof plates bearing advertising matter on both sides to the other end ofthe series, means associated with one end of the plate for enabling thesaid end to be guided in the guide track throughout the saiddisplacement, means associated with the other end of the plate forenabling the said other end to be guided in the track during part atleast of the said displacement, and means for enabling the said otherend to move in a path extending transversely across the track during adifferent part of the said displacement, whereby the plate is reversedduring its displacement from one end of the series to the other.

'7. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination ofan endless guide track, a conveyor movable adjacent said track fordisplacing an end plate of a series of plates bearing advertising matterto the other end of the series, a'projection at or near one end of saidplate for enabling said end to be guided by the track throughout thesaid displacement, a projection at the other end of the plate forenabling the said other end to be guided by the track during part atleast of the said displacement, and gaps in the track for enabling theprojection on the said other end to move out of the track in a directiontransversely across the track.

- 8. An advertising device comprising the combination of a pair of guidemembers spaced laterally from one another and provided with tracks whichfollow a substantially circular path, said tracks being arranged toreceive pins which extend'laterally from a series of plates constructedto extend between the said guide members, and a pair of conveyors oneassociated with each of said guide members and operable to moverelatively thereto in'such a manner as to engage with the lateral pinsat one edge of the plate which are disposed one in each of said tracksso as to move the pins so'engaged through an arc of a circle whilstpermitting the corresponding pins at the opposite edge of the plate, tomove transversely across the guide members after the said pins havemoved through a predetermined arc of the said circular path.

9. An advertising device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the leadingplate of a series is yieldingly held from the uppermost edge thereof ina substantially vertical position with the pins, disposed at thelowermost edge thereof, arranged in the said circular tracks, theconveyors being operable in such a manner that at each complete rotationthereof they engage with the lowermost pins of the leading plate of theseries and move the said plate by the said pins through an arc of acircle into a position where the lowermost pins are brought intosubstantially the same position as the uppermost pins occupied prior totheir displacement whereas the uppermost pins have been permitted toswing about the lowermost pins in a direction transversely to the saidguide members so that the plate rests in a substantially verticalposition with the respective faces of the plate directed in the oppositesense to that in which they occupied prior to the said displacement.

10. An advertising device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the conveyorsare carried by suitably driven'gear wheels mounted concentrically withthe tracks of the said guide members.

11. An advertising device as claimed in claim 8, wherein a pair of arms,one mounted upon each guide member and operable by cams, are movable topermit one pair of pins of a plate to'move transversely across the saidguide members and thereafter to move 'into engagement with the said pinsto feed the plates into the said vertical position in which each of thesaid plates is eventually disposed in front of a Window mounted in thehousing of the said device.

12. In an advertising device, the combination of an endless guide track,and a conveyor arranged to engage an end plate of a series of plates todisplace the same to the other end of the series, one end of the saidplate being positively guided by the said endless track throughout thedisplacement of the plate by the conveyor and the other end of the platebeing moved, during a part at least of the said displacement, along apath which extends transversely across the said endless track, the endsof'the plate being arranged to traverse the said paths in such an orderthat the plate is reversed during the displacement thereof by theconveyor from one end of the series to the other.

13. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination ofmeans for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearingadvertising matter to the other end of the series, an endless guidetrack for guiding one end of the plate throughout the said displacementand for guiding the other end of the plate during part of the saiddisplacement, and means for directing the other end of the plate out ofthe endless track in a direction extending transversely across the saidtrack.

14. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination ofmeans for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearingadvertising matter to the other end of the series, an endless guidetrack for guiding one end of the plate throughout the said displacementand for guiding the other end of the plate during part of the saiddisplacement, means for enabling the said other end to move during adifferent part of the said displacement in a path extending transverselyacross the guide tracks, and means situated at the rear end of theseries of plates for compressing the said plates together.

15. In an advertising device, the combination of a series of plates eachbearing advertising matter arranged one behind the other, yieldablemeans for engaging one end of the foremost plate and for supporting thesaid plate in the display position, and conveyor means for engaging theother end of the said plate to move the first mentioned end thereof pastthe yieldable means and displace the plate to the rear end of the seriesso as to expose the next succeeding plate.

16. An advertising device as claimed in claim 8, wherein a pair of arms,one mounted upon each guide member and operable by cams, are movable topermit one pair of pins of a plate to move transversely across the saidguide member and thereafter to move into engagement with the said pinsto feed the plates into the said vertical position in which each of thesaid plates is eventually disposed in front of a window mounted in thehousing of the said device, said cams being arranged to move said arms apredetermined distance to ensure that the whole series of plates isdisposed correctly with respect to the conveyors and subsequently toensure that the series of plates, less the end plate which has beendisplaced, is moved a distance sufficient to ensure that the leadingplate of the remaining plates is fed into the path of the conveyor.

17. In a device of the kind specified, a series of substantially rigidplates each bearing displays on both sides thereof and provided with apair of engagingelements, and means: for displacing an end plate of theseries to the other end of the series to occupy an inverted positionthereat, said displacing means comprising means for guiding one of saidelements for movement in a predetermined endless path, and means forcontrolling movement of the other element with respect to the firstmentioned element to effect inversion of the plate.

18. In a device of the kind specified, a series of plates each bearingdisplays on both sides thereof and provided with a pair of engagingelements, and means for displacing an end plate of the series to theother end of the series, said displacing means comprising means forguiding one of said elements in a closed path relative to' the other ofsaid elements throughout the said displacement to invert said plate, andmeans for enabling said other element to move, during said displacement,in a path extending transversely across said closed path.

19. In a device of the kind specified, a series of plates each bearingdisplays on both sides thereof and provided with a pair of engagingelements, and means for displacing an end plate of the series to theother end of the series, said displacing means comprising means forguiding one of said elements in a circular path throughout saiddisplacement to invert said plate, and means for enabling the otherelement to move,

during said displacement, in a path extending transversely across saidcircular path.

20. In a device of the kind specified, a series of plates each bearingdisplays and provided with a pair of engaging elements, and means fordisplacing an end plate of the series to the other end of the series,said displacing means comprising means for guiding one of said elementsin a closed path throughout said displacement, and for guiding the otherof said elements during part of said displacement, and means forenabling said other element to move, during a different part of saiddisplacement, in a path extending transversely across said closed path.

21. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination ofmeans for displacing an end plate of a series of plates bearingadvertising matter to the other end of the series, an endless guidetrack for guiding one of a pair of engaging elements, disposed at atleast one edge of the plate throughout the displacement of the plate andfor guiding the other of said elements during part of the saiddisplacement, and means for enabling the said other element to moveduring a different part of the said displacement in a path extendingtransversely across the guide track.

22. In an advertising device of the kind specified, the combination ofan endless guide track, a conveyor for displacing an end plate of aseries of plates bearing advertising matter to the other end of theseries, a pair of engaging elements disposed at at least one edge of theplate, one of said elements being guided by the track throughout thedisplacement of the plate and the other element being guided by thetrack during part of said displacement, and means for enabling saidother element to move in a path extending transversely across the trackduring a different part of said displacement.

23. In a device of the kind specified, a series of plates each bearingdisplays and provided with a pair of engaging elements, and means fordisplacing an end plate of the series to the other end of the series,said displacing means comprising means for guiding one of said elementsin a closed path throughout said displacement, and for guiding the otherof said elements during part of said displacement, and means forenabling said other element to move, during a different part of saiddisplacement, in a path extending transversely across said closed path,the relative movements of said element serving to invert the plateduring its displacement from one end of the series to the other.

PERCY FREDERICK GODFREY.

